Clothes wringer



G. C. WEISS CLOTHES WRINGER Feb. 17, 1931.

Filed Jan. 22, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Nw @95% mw su? fittorney CLOTHES WRINGER Filed Jan. 22, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Gea/ye Pf6/'55 ,A f M 'tnorneg G, C. WEISS CLOTHES WRINGER Feb. 17, 1931.

Filed Jan. 22. 1929 5 SheetsSheet lhuenbor e 6T M755 @ca/y itborneg qu mme Patented Feb. 17, 1931 Y UNITED STATES v GEORGE C. WEISS, OF VENICE, CALIFORNI.

CLOTHES WRINGER j App1ication led January 22, 1929. Serial No. 334,211.

My invention relates to clothes wringers,

and it has for a purpose the provision of a wringer characterized by a roller tensioning means operable -to vary the yieldable pres- 5 sure exerted by the rollers through the medium of a single means of adjustment as distinguished from the double means of adjustment employed and necessary in previously proposed wringers. 'In providing a wringer l which requires only a single means of adjustment, I do not sacrifice but maintain uniformity of adjustment from end to end of the pressure exerted by therollers.

It is also apurpose of my invention to pro'- vide a clothes wringer which is further characterized by a mounting for one of the rollers which allows movement thereof laterally with respect to the first roller in order that suilicient spacing of the two rollers may be effected to allow release of any foreign obstructions that may enter between the rollers vso that should the hands or hair of the operatrice accidently enter between the rollers during the normal operation of the wringer, the rollers can be spaced to permit withdrawal of the hands or hair. This roller spacing is controlled by a latching means and a control device that coact to maintain the laterally movable roller against -movement and in proper operative relation to the other roller. The control device is positioned preferably above the upper roller so as to be in easy reach o f the operatrice and in such position that when the hands or hair of the operatrice arecaught between the rollers she will instinctively grab the control device and in so doing actuate it to effect a release of thelatching means and a resultant 4o spacing of the rollers. The tensioning means for the rollers is so interrelated to the latching means that when the latter is un-v y of the operatrice can be easily effected.

I will describe only one form of clothes wrin er embod in m invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken .on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and. illustrating one form of clothes wringer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 isja view similar to Fig. 2 taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4L is a view showing the wringer in front elevation and partly in section and with the upper roller in unlatched position; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing in end elevation the left-hand end of the wrm vU-shaped supporting frame having a horizontal portion which is of U form, as will be clear from a consideration of Fig. 2, and

vertical end portions 16 having partsextended transversely to provide legs 17 that coact with the vertical arts of the intermediate portion 15 to e ectively support the wringer as a whole in upright position. A lower roller 18 is provided at its ends with stub shafts 19 and 20 journaled in suitable bearings contained in the frame, with one of the stub shafts operatively connectedto a shaft 21 which extends into a housing 22 at one end of the wringer, and is in turn operatively connected to a drive shaft 23 thatprojects from the bottom of the housing. The mechanism contained in the housing 22'is designed to form an operative Vconnection between the shaft 23 and the shaft 21 by which the roller 18 is positively driven, but such mechanism is conventional and forms no part of the present invention.

The wringer also includes an upper roller 24 having stub shafts 25 j ournaled 1n bearings 26 contained in the end portions 27 and 28 porting frame. This second frame includes a rod 29 the ends of which are fixed in ears 30 formed integral with and rising from the end portions 27 and 28 of the frame, the rod 29 serving in conjunction with the roller 24 to rigidly connect the end portions to provide a frame of substantially inverted U form. This frame is mounted on the supporting frame for vertical movement to permit of a variation in the yieldable pressure exerted between the rollers, and for upward swinging movement to impart a lateral vertical movement to the roller 24 in order to produce a spacing of the two rollers that will allow the withdrawal therefrom of any foreign ob` structions that may enter between the rollers such as the hand or hair of the operatrice. As best illustrated in Fig. 3, the connection between the supporting frame and the upper roller frame to permit of the aforedescribed two movements of the roller frame comprises a horizontal extension 31 on the end frame portion 27 through which extends a shank 32 that is screw-threaded and provided with a nut 33 positioned above the extension so that by rotation thereof in one direction or the other the shank may be moved vertically within the extension. The lower end of the shank is provided with a transverse tubular head 34 through which extends a bolt 35 that has its opposite ends extending through the upper ends of a U-shaped yoke 36, the yoke ends being confined on the bolt and against outward spreading by the provision' of spacing collars 38 -and washers 39 at the confronting sides of the head 40 and the nut 41 of the bolt. The opposite ends of the bolt 35 operate in slots 42 of the corresponding end portion 16 of the supporting frame, the walls of the slots having physical contact w1th the spacing collars 38 so that the latter ac t as bearings while the washers 39 coact with the ends of the yoke 36 to confine the bolt 35 against longitudinal shifting so as to maintain the collars 38 within the slots 42.

The yoke 36, as best shown in Fig. 1, extends within the supporting frame and around the shaft 21, its lower end providing a seat for one end of a leaf spring 43. This spring 43 is bowed upwardly and at its bowed portion is secured by means of a screw 44 to the under side of the horizonal portion 15 of the supporting frame, the cross-sectional contour of the horizontal portion being such as to house the spring. This spring is designed to exert a downward pull upon the yoke 36 and to thus act in holding the roller 24 and its frame against vertical movement. The head 34 in its association with the bolt 35 provides a pivot for the upper roller frame about which the latter is adapted to swing to produce the requisite spacing of the roller 24 from the roller 18.

The shank 32, bolt 35, and the yoke 36 constitute a connection between the end frame ward pull on the roller for producing a pres- I.

sure between the rollers 24 and 18 to obtain a wringing action on the clothes passing between the rollers. The opposite end of the spring 43 is likewise utilized to exert a tension on the opposite end of the roller 24 and through the provision of a connection which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as comprising an elongated yoke 45, the bottom end of which provides a seat for the opposite end of the spring 43 While its upper end is formed with a transverse rod 46 providing a keeper for the hooks 47 on the ends of an inverted U- shaped yoke 48. This yoke 48 is mounted for rocking movement by the provision of a headed pin 49 mounted in ears 5() formed on the end frame portion 28. The keeper rod 46 and the hooks 47 constitute a latching means by which the yokes 45 and 48 may be connected and disconnectedas desired.

In order to retain the yokes against separation so as to maintain an operative connection between the spring 43 and the upper roller frame, I provide a control device for maintaining the yoke 48 in such position thatthe hooks 47 engage the keeper rod 46, it being understood that the yoke 48 by virtue of its mounting may be rocked to an unlatched position in which the hooks 47 are out of engagement with the rod 46 as is illustrated in Fig. 6. This control device comprises a lug 51 formed on the yoke 48 and having a concave upper edge to provide a seat for a pin 52 on the end of a depending extension 53 of a control bar 54. As shown in Fig. 1, the control bar 54 is provided with depending ears 55 adjacent the opposite ends thereof and through which the connecting rod 29 extends to provide a mounting about which the control bar may be rocked to move the pin 52 into or out of engagement with the lug 51 in effecting a setting or releasing of the aforedescribed latching means.

In the normal position of the control bar 54 as illustrated in Fig. 2, the pin 52 engages the lug 51 to maintain the yoke 48 in such position that its hooks 47 engage the keeper rod 46. In this set position ot' the latching means it operates to maintain the yokes 45 and 48 against separation so that an operative connection is established between the spring 43 and the end frame portion 28 in order that the tension exerted by said spring may be transmitted to the corresponding end of the roller 24.y Thus, by the provision of the rtwo connections at the opposite ends of the spring, the tension of such spring is transmitted to the opposite ends of the roller and uniformly so as to produce a yieldable pressure between the two rollers. The tension lllll vwhen released,-a separation of the yokes 45.

exerted by the spring 43 maybe varied to Vary the yieldable pressure between the rollers through an adjustment of the shank 32 vertically in the extension 31'so as to elevate or lower the yoke 36 and. thereby vflex the and 48 in order that the tension exerted by the' spring 43 may no longer be transmitted to the upper roller frame and to elleot a complete release o the left-hand end of the frame in order that the upper roller 24 may be elevated'clear of the roller 18 to remove any foreign object that may have accidentally entered between the rollers or, in other words, to prevent injury to and permit thev quick withdrawal of the hand ofthe operatrice, should it have been accidentally extended between the rollers. By rocking the control bar 54 in either direction from the intermediate position shown in'Fig. 2, the pin 52 is moved free of the lug'51 to-release the yoke 48. Under the downward pull exerted on the yoke 45 by the spring 43, the hooks 47, by

reason ofl their particular contour, are projected freeof the'keeper rod 46 thus throwing the yoke48 to the position illustrated in Eig. 6 and thereby eiiecting separation of the yokes 45 and 48. In Fig. 5 I haveshown the control bar rocked to the right so that the pin 52 is out of engagement with the 4lug 51. This is the position to which the' control bar would be moved were the operatrice `positioned at the right side ofthe wringer."` As previously expressed', however, the control bar may be rocked in the other direction from the intermediate position and effect the same operation of the pin 52 in respect to the lug 51 should the operatrice be positioned at the opposite side of the wringer. In positioning the control bar above the upper roller, I have' attempted to select the most desirable location for its operation when the loperatrice instinctively grabs the wringershould her hand or L loperated to` effect the release of the latching means. Once the latching means is released,

the rollers are free to separate, permitting.

withdrawal ofthe hand or hair.

To reset the latching means, it is necessary to elevate the yoke 45 so as to position the keeper rod 46 that `the hooks 47 may be moved .into engagement with the rod when the yoke v 48 is returned to normal position. The yoke 45 can only be elevated against the tension of the spring 43 and consequently considerable force is necessary. However, to remedy this defect, I provide a manually operable cam 55 which is easily operable to elevate the yoke to normal position. Asshown in Figs. 2 and 4,

. this cam is provided with a pintle 56 mounted fgr rotation in the supporting frame and provided with a handle 57 by which the ,cam may be rotated from the normal position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2 to the'dotted line position' vshown in the same igure, and in which latter position the yoke 45- is elevated to permit resetting of the latching means. Once the hooks 47 again engage the keeper rod 46, the

yoke 48 may be retained in this set position by restoring the control bar '54 to normal position in which the pin 52 again seats on the lug 51 and thus secures the yoke 48 against rocking movement. With resetting of the latchving means, the connection is again established between thespring 43 and the frame portion 28 so that the tension of the spring is again transmitted to both ends of the roller 24 to restore the yieldable pressure between the rollers 18 and 24.

Although I have herein. shown and described only one form of clothes wringer embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.A

I claim:

' 1. A wringer comprising a supportingv frame, a roller journaled therein, a second frame mounted on the supporting frame for vertical movement, a second roller journaled in the second frame, a leaf spring in the sup porting .frame beneath the first roller, and

connectionsbetween said spring and the secondframe by which the second roller is yieldably urged into engagement with the irst r-oller, one of the connections between the spring and the second frame being adjustable to -vary the tension exerted by the Spring upon both of thev connections whereby the second roller is urged toward the first roller uniformly from end to end.

2. A wringer comprising a supporting frame, a roller journaled therein, a second 1mil frame mounted on the first frame for vertical movement, a second roller journaled in the second frame, a leaf spring in the supporting frame, and yokes` operatively connectin the spring with thesecond frame to transmlt the tension of said spring to the opposite ends of the second frame.

3. A wringer\comprising l a supporting,

ends of the second frame, the yokes for connecting the spring with one end of the second frame having an adjustable connection with the frame by which the tension of said spring may be varied and such variation transmitted to the opposite ends of the second frame.

4. A wringer comprising a supporting frame, a roller journaled therein, a second roller, a second frame in which the roller is journaled, said second frame being mounted on the supporting frame to move vertically for varying the pressure between the rollers and for swinging movement about a horizontal axis to permit movement of the second roller to a spaced position with respect to the first roller, tensioning means on the supporting frame, and connections between the tensioning means and the second frame for exerting a yieldable pressure between the rollers, one of the connections being adjustable to vary the eiiective tension of said tensioning means and the other connection having parts which are separable to release the second frame and allow the second roller to be swung to a position spaced with respect to the irst roller.

5.y A wringer as embodied in claim 4 wherein means is provided on the second frame and positioned above the second roller for controlling the separation of said parts.

6. A wringer as embodied in claim 4 wherein means is provided on the second frame and positioned above the second roller for controlling the separation of said parts, said means extending lengthwise of the rollers and movable about a longitudinal axis to eect separation of said parts.

7. In a wringer, a supporting frame, a roller journaled therein, a second frame above the supporting frame, a second roller journaled in the second frame, a spring secured to the bottom of the supporting frame, yokes engaging .the opposite ends of the spring, an adjustable connection between one of said yokes and one end of the second frame and by which the tension of said spring may be varied, a detachable connection between the other end of said frame and the other yoke, and means positioned above the second roller and mounted on the second frame for actuating said connection to release the second frame and roller.

8. In a wringer, a supporting frame, a roller journaled therein, a second frame above the supporting frame, a second roller journaled in the second frame, a spring secured to the supporting frame, an adjustable and operative connection between one end-of said spring and one end of the second frame, and latching means operatively connecting the other end of said spring with the other end of the second frame, said latching means comprising a lower yoke connected to the spring, an upper yoke mounted for rocking movement on the second frame and having hooks normally engaging the lower yoke, and a control bar mounted on the second frame above the second roller and having means normally acting to restrain the upper yoke against rocking movement but movable to release the upper yoke and permit it to swing so that its hooks disengage the lower yoke to release the second roller.

9. In a wringer as embodied in claim 8 wherein means is provided lfor moving the lower yoke upwardly against the action of said spring to so position the lower yoke that the hooks of the upper yoke will engage the lower yoke when the `upper yoke is restored to normal position.

10. In a wringer, a supporting frame, a roller journaled in the supporting frame, a second frame above the supporting frame, a second roller journaled in the second frame, a spring secured to the supporting frame, a yoke engaging one end of the spring, an adjusting screw mounted on the second frame and having a pivotal connection with said yoke, a second yoke engaging the other end of said spring, a third yoke mounted for rocking movement on the second frame and having hooks normally engaging the second yoke, and means on the second frame normally acting to restrain the third yoke against rocking movement but movable to release the third yoke and permit it to swing so that its hooks disengage the second yoke.

Signed at Santa Monica in the county of Los Angeles and State of California this 7 day of January, A. D. 1929.

GEORGE C. WEISS. 

